Grace watched as Rick looked at the sign with a puzzled expression. “I’m sorry, but I’m a little confused here. I thought Maria made a new sign when we got engaged. Didn’t she add you to the population count then?”
“She did.” With a soft exhale, she knelt to place the open jar of paint by her foot before straightening. With Rick’s eyes on her, she slowly moved her free hand up so that it was resting on her middle. “But she didn’t know that we’re bringing someone new to Hamlet. I figured, might as well change the sign now that I’m positive.”
It took him a minute. Rick looked from Grace, to the shiny, wet paint, and then back. His eyes widened.
“Wait a minute. Grace… are you telling me—”
Biting down on her bottom lip, she nodded.
For a heartbeat, where Rick stood as still as a statue and his chiseled features seemed to turn to stone, Grace was afraid that he wouldn’t take this news well. They’d only been together for a little more than five months, and the engagement was already a whirlwind that left her twisted and dizzy.
She knew deep down that Rick worried that his rushing her into marriage would remind her of Tommy; she also knew he was afraid that, one day, she might accuse him of taking advantage. It was why he was careful not to push her into setting a date for the wedding. He wanted Grace to have the chance to change her mind.
She never would have, even before the outsider doctor she went to see yesterday confirmed her suspicions.
Now, with her revelation, she was prepared to give Rick the chance to change his mind.
Grace just really, really hoped he wouldn’t.
The paintbrush bobbed in her hand, nervous fingers twitching as she looked up at Rick, waiting for him to do something. Say something.
He blinked. A second later, the biggest grin she’d ever seen him wear—even bigger than the satisfied one he wore their first night together—split his face wide open. He lunged forward, sweeping Grace up in his arms, spinning around madly as she laughed joyously.
With infinite care, he set her back down on her feet, brushing aside her giggled apologies for the smears of green paint that colored his t-shirt. She still grasped Maria’s paintbrush between her fingers until Rick eased it from her iron grip and tossed it toward the truck.
Grace made a mental note to replace it, then immediately forgot all about Maria and paint and everything else except for the big man who dropped to his knees in front of her, cradling her back with one hand while laying his cheek gently against her belly.
“You’re going to have a baby. Our baby.”
A well of emotion replaced her heart in her throat, causing her to work to find her voice. It was everything. From the way he treated her so sweetly, to the way he dropped to his knees in supplication while saying things like our baby…
They were together. A team. He didn’t own her any more than she owned him.
This… now this was love. She was sure of it.
Grace tried to keep her tone light as she ran her fingers lightly through his curls. He would tell her that it was time for another trim, but she liked it like this. And he would let it grow. “That’s what the doctor tells me, Rick. In about seven months, we’re gonna have a baby.”
He let out a sound that was a cross between a laugh and a sob, squeezing her with as much force as he dared.
But because she was worried, because she was unsure, she had to ask, “Are you happy?”
“Happy?” Rick tilted his head back, looking up at her from his place in the dirt. “No, I’m not happy.”
She blinked, stunned. Okay. That wasn’t the answer she was hoping for.
Before Grace could fully process the sting in his solemn words, he was already rising up from the ground, taking her in his arms and pulling her cl
ose. The hurt came a split second later and she placed her palms against her chest, shoving with all of her strength.
This was stupid. She’d only come to terms with the news yesterday morning and she’d spent the last day and a half trying to think of a memorable way to tell Rick he was going to be a father. After the lengths he went to to give her a sweet proposal, she wanted to do something for him.
It never crossed her mind that he wouldn’t be ecstatic to hear the news. Sure, there hadn’t been time to discuss children. Most of their future consisted of taking it one day at a time, knowing they were committed to each other and that everything else could wait.
Only, life had different plans for both of them.
She thought he would be happy.
Damn it, why wasn’t he happy?